President Abraham Lincoln signed the Homestead Act on May 20, 1862. The Homestead Act of 1862 opened up millions of acres.Any adult who had never taken up arms against the federal government of the United States could apply. The social security number will be used to verify taxpayer identity and homestead exemption information submitted to property appraisers. Continued on page 2. When to file: Application for all exemptions must be made between January 1 and March 1 of the tax year. Florida Heritage Trails: Why not see Florida through our eyes? Florida Heritage guidebooks can introduce you to the best of Florida's history. The homestead act helped americans buy their way into the american dream and independently build up wealth through land ownership. File for Homestead Online.